Your guide to hair extensions
Hair extensions are a great way to add length, volume and even colour to your own hair. Maybe you have an upcoming event and want luscious long locks but obviously can’t grow yours out in time. It could be that you want to experiment with your style by adding flashes of bold shades without actually dyeing your own. You might even be toying with the idea of having a fringe but aren’t convinced that it would suit you. In these cases, hair extensions can be a solution; you can play around with styles without the commitment. We’re going to look at a quick guide to extensions, what they involve and what type might be best for you.
The real deal
For a super natural look, real hair extensions are always advisable. Made from human hair, they can be coloured and heat-styled unlike synthetic extensions that can often look unnaturally shiny and, in some cases, melt under high temperatures! It’s important to consider that extensions are meant to be an extension of your own hair so they should blend in, have the same texture and mimic the real thing. For the very best, check out companies like Hair Planet that offers remy hairpieces (natural hair of the highest quality which hasn’t been chemically compromised).
How long? And we don’t mean the hair
Depending on how long you would like to enjoy your extensions for, there are a variety of different options to go for.
Hair today, gone tomorrow
Clip-on extensions can simply be clipped in for an evening (they have tiny teeth which attach to the roots of your hair), which is a quick and easy method to get a glamorous style for that one-off special occasion. Moreover, depending on their quality, clip-ons are relatively inexpensive due to the fact you can simply clip them in yourself and don’t have to fork out money for any in-house salon styling. On the other hand, glue-on extensions last that little bit longer (normally a few days) but are usually slightly more expensive as a stylist will have to carry out the work.
In it for the long haul
Some people like their extensions to last as long as possible, from several days to several months. In these scenarios, there are a number of choices, but, unlike the shorter-term hairpieces, they inevitably cost more (typically in the region of £500 +). Nonetheless, you won’t have the hassle of having to remove them at the end of the evening and you’ll be able to wash and style your hair as if it were your own. Some of these products include sew-in extensions or weaves that generally last around six to eight weeks; a professional stylist sews these into your roots. Tape-in extensions or wefts (these are smaller individual strips of hair) are usually taped to the roots of your natural hair and can last up to eight weeks. For those that want their hair extensions to last considerably longer bonded extensions are best. Lasting for around five months, they are fused to your natural hair roots with a heat-activated keratin-based polymer.
Whatever your budget, there’s a beauty option for you; shop around and get to know the different products and choices available.